Honda’s best sports cars were rarely about brute power. Models like the NSX, S2000, Integra Type R, Civic Type R, and CR-X Si built their reputations on high-revving engines, sharp handling, clever engineering, and that unmistakable Honda sense of joy. Some were sold here as Hondas, while others arrived in North America under the Acura badge. Either way, these are the Honda sports cars that helped define the brand’s performance legacy.
Honda Beat
The Honda Beat might not be a well-known model here, mainly because it was never sold outside Japan. The Beat is a “kei-car”, a class of super small vehicles with restrictions on engine size, power output, and dimensions. The Japanese market loves them because they come with tax and insurance benefits. The Beat wasn’t a fast car—it had 63 hp— but it was light, handled well, and looked the part. With that inherent Honda goodness baked in and having the distinction of being the last car Soichiro Honda officially signed off on before he died in 1991, it makes it extra special. Plus, as of 2016, it’s ready for US importation under the 25-year rule.
Related – Why Kei Trucks Are a Bigger Threat to Side-By-Sides Than Anyone Expected
Honda S500
The 1963 Honda S500 was just the second car Honda produced after the T360 pickup. This little roadster had a 531 cc 4-cylinder engine that could spin all the way up to 9500 rpm and was equipped with independent suspension and a 4-speed manual. Honda, already an established motorcycle builder, had expertise with high-revving engines, and this little roadster benefited from that. Apart from being Honda’s first-ever production sports car, the S500 is also one of the prettiest.
Honda City Turbo II
The Honda City, a Japanese-market vehicle, debuted in 1981 and was never sold here, but it still earns a place on this list because it’s just so damn cool. With styling that falls somewhere between a cargo van and a small hatchback, the City Turbo was as innovative as it was fun and practical. The turbo version had just shy of 100 hp and could run from 0-100 km/h in 8.6 seconds, which was quick for the time. The real hot rod was the City Turbo II, complete with box fenders and a 108 hp 4-cylinder. As cool as the car was, its real party trick was the foldaway Motocompo scooter that fit neatly in the luggage compartment.
1999 Honda Civic SiR EJ (Si in the U.S.)
There are a few Civics on this list but the EJ SiR is where we’ll start. This was the first time a Civic sold in the U.S. and Canada would be available with a DOHC (double-overhead-cam) VTEC 4-cylinder engine. Delivering 100 hp per litre of displacement, the fizzy motor was a triumph of engineering. While it only made 160 hp (from 1.6 litres), the figure peaked at 7600 rpm, and the engine revved all the way to 8000 rpm. The B16A3 was a screamer, and the Civic SiR came alive in the high rpm ranges. With nimble handling to match, the SiR was born to be a legend.
Honda CR-X Si
With styling inspired by Zagato, the Kammback-inspired hatchback is still one of Honda’s most revered and popular models. Originally intended to be a fuel-efficient, fun-to-drive car, the 2-seater was a very successful model for Honda and truly established the brand’s focus on sporty handling and driving dynamics in an economical package. Although it was available with the famed B16 engine in Japanese and European markets, the US and Canadian-market Si made do with a single-cam 1.6L that made 105 hp and was upped to 108 in later years. It wasn’t much, but with an excellent 5-speed manual and the agility of a fly, the CR-X was a very rewarding car to drive.
Honda S2000
Honda shocked the world with the release of the S2000 roadster in 1999, a rear-wheel-drive sports car with a 2-litre 4-cylinder engine that had a dizzying 9000 rpm redline and made an astonishing 120 hp per litre of displacement. This was practically unheard of, mainly because it made that power without the aid of turbos. The S2000 was an intimate 2-seat convertible with a brilliant 6-speed manual gearbox and track-ready handling. It’s a car that channelled the spirit of the original S500 and captured Soichiro’s vision for the company.
Related – No Agenda: Modified 2000 Honda S2000 Tuned to Perfection
Honda Civic Type R (FL5)
This list wouldn’t make sense without a Type R, and the first on the list is the all-new Civic Type R, based on the 11th-generation Honda Civic. The US and Canadian markets didn’t get the first four Civic Type Rs, and while we can cry about that, the new FL5 Type R makes up for most of the loss. With a turbocharged 4-cylinder producing 315 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque, it’s easily the quickest Type R ever and one of the most fun cars to drive today at any price.
Related – 2018 Honda Civic Type R Performance Review
Honda Civic Type R EK9
The “original” Civic Type R, the EK9 hatchback, is the most legendary of Civic Type Rs (CTR), not just because it was the first but because it was the simplest and most raw version of the car that’s ever been released. With reduced sound insulation, a stiffer chassis, a helical limited-slip differential, and bright red Recaro sport seats, the CTR was a raw and focused machine. Only available in Japan, the EK9’s fame and allure rose here due to its unavailability. The B16B produced an astounding 182 hp from just 1.6 litres of displacement.
Honda Integra Type R
Arguably the most famous of all the Type R’s, the Integra was as close to the EK9 Civic Type R as we could get here, but in ways, it was even better. With a larger-displacement 1.8-litre B18C engine that made 195 hp and could rev to 9000 rpm, the Integra Type R represented peak Honda. It was loved by every publication that got its hands on it and was called the best-handling front-wheel-drive car ever made. While it’s not number one on our list, it’s probably the most sought-after Honda today, with clean low-mileage examples like this one fetching an astonishing USD 151,200.
Honda NSX
No Honda legend list would be complete without the Ferrari-beating NSX, and for us, it earns the top spot here. Sold in the US and Canadian markets with an Acura badge, the NSX was Japan’s take on what a supercar should be. With a mid-mounted V6 and handling tuned with the help of none other than Ayrton Senna, the NSX didn’t just look the part; it was considered one of the best-handling cars of its time. The NSX also marked many firsts. It was the first time VTEC was available on a car in the U.S., and it was the world’s first aluminum-bodied car to be mass-produced. It even inspired Gordon Murray’s McLaren F1. The NSX was powered by a 3-litre V6 that initially made 270hp, and it was billed as a reliable and practical supercar.
